Known commercial power mowers are generally divided into three separate categories: (i) self-propelled walk-behind mowers; (ii) ride-on mowers operated by a seated occupant; and (iii) stand-on mowers operated by a standing occupant.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,077,959; 4,967,543; 4,991,382 and 4,920,733 disclose typical walk-behind power mowers, the disclosures of all of theses patents hereby being incorporated herein by reference. U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,020 discloses a known ride-on mower where an operator sits on a seat during mower operation, the disclosure of this patent being hereby incorporated herein by reference. The Great Dane "Zero Turn Chariot" [see May 1998 Technical Manual] is another example of a ride-on mower operated by a seated occupant. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,964,082; 5,809,755; 5,507,138; 5,600,944; and 5,765,347 disclose stand-on mowers, the disclosures of all of these patents hereby being incorporated herein by reference.
Unfortunately, the operator of a walk-behind mower must walk during mowing operations (unless a sulky is used in conjunction therewith), thereby leading to fatigue. This is a disadvantage of walk-behind mowers, especially in hilly environments. As a result of operator fatigue, mowers controlled by walking operators are generally less productive over extended periods of time.
While ride-on mowers with seats have the advantage of allowing the operator to sit during mowing operations, they may suffer from certain disadvantages. First, a seated operator may have less visibility than a standing operator of trimming areas around shrubs and the like in certain ride-on mowers. Second, it may be more difficult for a seated operator to quickly jump off the mower than for a standing operator to do so. Third, it may be more difficult for a sitting operator to quickly redistribute his or her weight during hilly operations than it is for a standing operator to do so.
It is apparent from the above, that there exists a need in the art for a power lawn mower operable by an operator who can assume a standing position or alternatively a sitting position during operation of the mower. The standing or sitting modes may enable an operator to easily vary his/her weight distribution and/or to have good visibility for trimming around shrubs, trees and the like; and the sitting mode may enable an operator to become less tired during mower operation.
It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill any or all of the above-described needs in the art, as well as other needs which will become apparent to the skilled artisan from the following detailed description of this invention.